As the Soccer World Cup draws to end, South Africa’s cities are still packed to the brim, with visitors from all corners of the world here to share the excitement, victories, losses, surprises and fun of one of the most successful sporting events in history. Despite many concerns about South Africa’s ability to host an event of this size, the country has shown the world what it has to offer, and the event has had a huge impact on the tourism of the country.
Recent reports in the media showed that many tourists have chosen to stay on in the country, despite their team having been beaten out of the tournament. Social media sites and blogs have been inundated with positive feedback from tourists from all over the world, including a huge number of celebrities. Those who have enjoyed Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town tours have had a chance to see the country from beyond the stadiums, enjoying the wide range of attractions that can be found from all corners of South Africa. The warm welcome that tourists have received throughout the country, not to mention the much-praised South African spirit have all played a huge role in the positive review of the country. Will this be enough to make a major impact on the South African tourism however, and will the country be able to see the rewards from the World Cup on a longer-term scale?
Tourism experts have stated that Cape Town has seen the biggest impact, and this city has been rated as the city offering the most value to World Cup visitors in terms of accommodation and other expenses. Cape Town Tourism conducted a study on the impact of the games on the Mother City, showing notable increases across all fronts, from accommodation bookings to flights, vehicle hire, tourist attractions and tours. An impressive 63.4% of tour operators have experienced an increase of approximately 20% in June, and 16.1% have experienced 91% – 100% in bookings compared to last year. These results show the value of the World Cup in terms of tourism, with the added advantages of exposure that the games have brought to the country as a whole, as more tourists experience Cape Town and other key cities – coming home with memories and glowing reviews.
